Page 58 of Taking What's Ours

I suck in a breath. “I need you to tell me everything, Elaina. Start from the beginning.”

“He showed up at the front door. I opened it a crack, but he pushed his way in. Then he threatened to kill Rosie if I didn’t put her outside. Rosie would have defended me. He knew that.”

I’m frozen in place, hanging on her next words. I want to push, but I need to let her take her time. I know this is hard for her. In my mind, I’m already in my room, pulling the case from under my bed, jerking it open, choosing the right weapon, and slamming a clip inside.

“He wanted the marriage license. When I told him I didn’t have it, he didn’t believe me. He got me to the floor. Rosie was barking and pawing at the glass, trying to get to me. I fought him, Baja. I did.”

I’m sure she reads the fury in my eyes. I lick my lips and look away, taking a deep breath to moderate my racing pulse. “The overturned chair, the broken lamp…”

“I managed to hit him hard with a candlestick. I got free and scrambled away, but he was on me again in seconds. And then he was really angry. He tore my shirt open. Said we needed to consummate our marriage. I think he just wanted to teach me a lesson for running from him. Show me who was boss.”

I set a shaking hand on the counter and slump my hip against it, feeling my stomach drop. My own fucking brother did this. “Did he do it? Tell me the truth, Elaina. Please.”

“No. He hit me, and everything went fuzzy. Then the club roared up the street. I don’t think he realized you were in the MC, until I told him that was you coming and the bikes turned in the driveway. He called me a fucking biker whore, then took off out the front door. That’s when the club busted in.”

“I swear to God, Elaina, my brother is a dead man walking.”

“No.” She rushes to me, her hands settling on my chest. “You can’t do that.”

My eyes bore into hers. “The hell I can’t.”

“Please don’t do this. Please. I don’t want you to throw your life away for me. I know you want to get revenge, but your life is more important. He ruined your childhood. If he ruins the rest of your life, he wins. And I don’t want him to win. I don’t want you to go to prison. I don’t want him to take you from me. Please.”

She’s almost hysterical, so I appease her. “Okay.”

“Promise me.”

“Babe—”

“Promise me right now. Please, Baja.”

“I can’t do that.”

“Then I’ll go back to him.”

“No,” I shout, and grab her arms, shaking her.

“Promise me,” she shouts.

“Okay. I promise you.” Everything in me sinks. I give her the words, but I’m not even sure I can keep them. And lying to her is the last thing I want to do.

She collapses in my arms, clutching me tight and sobbing.

I stroke her head and press my cheek to the crown of her head. “Shh. It’s okay. I won’t let him touch you again.”

“Will he stop?” she asks, wiping her eyes. “Will he give up?”

“I don’t know, babe. I don’t know. What I do know is he backs down when he’s confronted, so my guess is he’s left town.” I don’t have my brother’s phone number, because other than the wedding, I haven’t had contact with him since I left for the military. But I do have my parents’ number. Digging in my pocket, I pull my phone out and call my father.

He doesn’t answer, so I leave a message.

“Elliott was at my house. He attacked Elaina. If I see him again, I won’t give a fuck he’s my brother, I’ll kill the son-of-a-bitch.” I disconnect and shove my phone in my pocket.

“You promised me.”

“I won’t go after him. But if he comes around again, he’s a dead man, Elaina. Plain and simple.”

She shakes her head. “He won’t come back.”

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